NOW AT AYYAM BEIRUT

Ayyam Gallery in Beirut is hosting the latest body of work by Lebanese artist Fathallah Zamroud.

Titled “Distant Remains,” the impressive show features nine large-scale paintings depicting temporary dwellings and abandoned sites overtaken by nature. “This is an evolution of my work,” says the artist. “I started with refugee camps for my first show, ‘Material Remains,’ in 2014. The emphasis is now on war, particularly postwar trauma, urban desolation and devastated areas.” In spite of the dramatic topic, Zamroud’s paintings always carry a sense of hope: a stretch of dilapidated buildings is encroached upon by a roaring sea of color, makeshift homes appear to move as a tempestuous background of drifting clouds offers signs of resurrection. The rich colors and vivid brushstrokes add intensity to the paintings, as nature overtakes derelict structures to signify a return to life.